"Thankfully it's all gone quiet on the Britt Assombalonga front in respect of transfer speculation, for now at least," he wrote.

"I hope it stays that way because I've said it once and I'll say it again, he has all the attributes to become a £50m player. The boy scores goals for fun and he grabbed 14 last season when he had a season somewhat disrupted by injury.

"If Forest are serious about getting out of the Championship then you need to keep hold of your best players at all costs.

"I appreciate every player has a price, but replacing him would be incredibly difficult. I can't wait to see him next season on the back of a good pre-season and hopefully that will set him up for an injury-free campaign."

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Assombalonga demonstrated his importance to the Forest cause on the final day of last season, hitting a double as Mark Warburton's side narrowly avoided the drop.

With Warburton looking to build on that survival in his first full season in charge, the former Brentford and Rangers boss says he wants to keep hold of the 24-year-old and insists Forest don't have to sell - but accepts every player has a price.